Phototypographic type body



April 21 l942- G. l.. MoRRlscN Y 2,280,096

PHOTOTYPOGRAPHI C TYPE` BODY Filed June 3, 1939 vPatented Apr. 21, 1942*UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,280,096 PHOTOTYPOGRAPHIC TYPE BODY GeorgeL. Morrison, Evanston, Ill. Application June 3, 1939, Serial No. 277,281

15 Claims.

My invention relates more particularly to light perviouscharacter-bearing type bodies for use in producingphotographic copy.

These type bodies would be provided in fonts as in the case of matricesfor assembly into a line from which slugs are cast with the desiredcharacters thereon foruse in printing with ink, and would be assembled,in the proper position for photographing the images thereon, in a holderinto which the type bodies would be inserted and cn' which theywouldrest.

The invention furthermore more particularly relates to such type bodies,whether bearing a negative or a positive image, those sides of which atthe outer surface of the line thereof when so assembled and the earsthereof when provided to form means for seating the type bodies on acomposing stick, are required to be opaque to the light rays employedfor illuminating the images on the type bodies.

Such type bodies as will be manifest would thus be subjected to hardwear in the removal and replacement thereof in the fonts and in theholders for receiving them for assembly into a line for use;'and unlessadequate provision is \made for such wear, which in the case of merecoatings would soon impair the type bodies for use because oflight-leakage, they would be rendered unt for continued and repeateduse.

One of my objects is to provide a construction of type body of thegeneral character above stated which will be highly resistant to wear inthe handling of the same in the insertion of the bodies into thefont-cases and into the holders in which they are assembled for use andin the withdrawal 5 of the same therefrom, thereby avoiding suchimpairment of the type bodies, in their continued use,l as would resultin light-leakage therethrough. p

Another object is to provide a construction of type body whereby theonly possible radiation of light therethrough to the image on the typebody is through a predetermined channel in the type body and which bypreference is of a crosssectional area proportional to the size of theimage presented by the type body; and other objects as will be manifestfrom the following description.

Generally stated I provide the type bodies, in accordance with myinvention, each as a lamil nated structure formed of acentral-light-pervious lamination, either transparent or translucent,bearing the image of the character to be photographically reproduced,and lateral or side lami- Y nations ofy material opaque to the light tobe employed; these several laminations being secured Vtogether to form aunitary type body; the lateral or side laminations referred toconstituting those portions which are exposed at opposite exterior sidesof the line of type bodies when assembled to form a line forphotographic reproduction, and in the case of type bodies having ears ashereinbefore referred to, also constituting the ears which thusformparts of the lateral or side laminations.

Referring to the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of a type body for a relatively shortimage and embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a similar view of a type body for al relatively tall image.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a composing stick with a line of my improvedtype bodies assembled therein for use.

Figure 4 is a section taken at the line 4 on Fig. 3 and viewed in thedirection o the arrow; and

Figure 5; a sectional view of a modification of the type bodies ofthepreceding figures.

As a preface to the following detailed description of the illustratedstructures, it may be stated that in the use of the transparent ortranslucent type bodies each of which has oppositely extending ears atone yend at the sides thereof which are at the outer surface of the typebodies when assembled in a line and is provided at its opposite end facewith the image to be photographically copied, the type bodies areselected from a font thereof, in which they may rest at the ears, andinserted into a holder to form the desired line thereof for photographicreproduction either by contact printing or projection, the type bodiesbeing clamped tightly together.

In accordance with the particular disclosure in the drawing the holderreferred to is in the form of a composing stick represented at 6 andprovided as a structure separate from the main portion of thephototypographic apparatus. The stick 6 has a central elongated slot 1to receive the type bodies represented at 8 which seat at theundersurfaces of ears 9 thereon, hereinbefore referred to, on thelongitudinalA walls of the lslot 1 which form ledges, the imagespresented by the type bodies and shown as negative images andrepresented at l0 being exposed along the underside of the stick. Anysuitable clamping means for the type bodies are provided, those showncomprising a follower Il movable in the slot 1 and actuated by a nut I2rotatable on the stick and held against lengthwise movement, and

paratus or by projection of the illuminated image-bearing surfaces to alight-sensitive surface by a camera arrangement, a photographic Copy ofthe line of images would be produced; where successive lines of imagesare to be photographically copied, by composing the several lines oftype bodies in different sticks 6 and applying them in succession and inthe proper sequence, to the exposure-opening of the phototypographicapparatus1 successive portions of the light-sensitive surface beingcaused to register with the exposure-opening, each line of type bodies 6being exposed to suitable light for illuminating the images I thereonupon being registered with the exposure-opening.

Referring to the particular construction of type body shown in Figs. 1and 2, the type body 8 comprises a central transparent or translucentlamination I4. the opposite side walls of which are parallel, and side,or lateral, opaque laminations I flanking the .central lamination I4 andprovided with the ears 9 for the purpose above explained, the centraland lateral laminations being of the same width, as measured in thedirection of the full-line arrow in Fig. 2, and preferably of the samedepth, as measuredin the direction of the dotted arrow in this gure andsecured together and forming a unitary body.

The side laminations l5 thus define a transparent or translucentchannel, having substantially parallel walls, from the end of the typebody 8 at which the illuminating light rays enter the type body to theface of the type body at its opposite end bearing the image I!) to beilluminated for photographing. It is desirable that. this light channelbe not of substantially greater cross-sectional area than the area ofthe image l0; therefore for the shorter ones of the images lll of a fontof the type bodies the central lamination I4 may be of relatively smallcross sectional area as shown in Fig. 1 and for the taller images ofrelatively larger cross sectional area, as shown in Fig. 2. In any eventthe overall dimensions of the type body would be such that the side orlateral laminations l5 of the taller images would be of sucientthickness'to serve the intended purpose. The sides of the centrallamination I4 which oppose the corresponding sides of the centrallaminations I4 of. adjacent type bodies, when assembled in a line, maybe dyed if desired, to render them opaque.

The type bodies 8 may be made of any suitable material. By way ofexample, and preferably, the several laminations of each type body aremade of any suitable plastic or plastics such as for example celluloseacetate, which for the central lamination I4 would be transparent ortranslucent and for the side laminations I5 would be opaque as by mixingvany suitable opaque dye with the plastic' in preparing it for USE.

Where the material of lwhichthe laminations are made permits, as in thecase of cellulose ace tate, the laminations may be united into thedesired unitary type-body structure, by treating the surfaces at whichthe laminations are to be united, with any suitable solvent of thematerial of which the laminations are made, as for example, in the caseof cellulose acetate, treating them with acetone, the surfaces beingthen placed together and pressure applied to press them together,resulting in a perfect bond between the laminations. If desired, and asa further instance of material for uniting the laminations, any suitableglue might be used; and heat and pressure with or without a suitablesolvent or adhesive in the joints between the laminations may also beused to produce desirable joints.

As will be understood in order to obtain accuracy all parts of the typebody should have the same coefficient of expansion and contraction toensure against a dimensional change of one part of the type body inrelation to another part and thereby avoid the occurrence of any spacesbetween the transparent or translucent central laminations I4 ofadjacent bodies when assembled in a line which might cause light-streaksto be produced. The making of all laminations of the type body of thesaine material, dyeing such thereof as is to be used in making the sidelaminations, causes the expansion and contraction of all laminations tobe uniform and thus no dimensional change in one lamination relative toanother will occur.

The invention, however, is not limited, as to certain phases thereof, tothe making of all or any of the laminations of a plastid By way ofexample, the transparent or translucent lamination i4 may be made of asuitable plastic and the side laminations I5 of other material such, asfor example, metal bonded to the central lamination, provided there arenot great o'iierences in the shrinkage factors of the two materialsused.

Furthermore, instead of providing the laminations with straight surfacesat which the joints between them are made, provision may be made forkeying the laminations together as by providing a series of grooves,preferably dovetailed, in certain of the laminations as shown at I6 inFig. 5 (these grooves being shown in the side laminations I5) into whichtongues shown at I'I, on the other lamination or laminations as the casemay be (the tongues being shown on the central lamination I4) extend andinterlock with the Walls of the grooves I6. Where a plastic is used foreither the central lamination or the side laminations, or for alllaminations, the plastic for forming the lamination or laminations to beapplied to the preformed lamination having the grooves or tongues, maybe flowed in heated condition and under pressure into keyed relation tothe preformed lamination or laminations to become keyed thereto.

As will be understood, type bodies made in accordance with my inventionpresent high wearresistance, those parts of the type bodies which aresubjected to wear being formed as opaque laminations of such thicknessthat they will not Wear through to the transparent or translucentportions of the type bodies in normal use and thus prevent lightleakage.

While I have illustrated and described certainparticular embodiments ofmy invention I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit itthereto as the same may be variously modified and altered and theinvention embodied in other spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A light-pervious type body comprising a central light-perviouslamination and lateral opaque liminations, each of said laminationsbeing formed of a plastic, said laminations being bonded together atopposing surfaces to form a homogeneous integral unit.

2. A light-pervious type body comprising a central light-perviouslamination and lateral opaque laminations, said lateral laminationsbeing provided as separate parts, one surface of each of the pairs ofopposed surfaces at the joints between said laminations containing,

grooves and the other surface thereof having tongues extending into saidgrooves said central lamination and said lateral laminations being ofthe same width. f

`3. lA light pervious type body comprising a central light-perviouslamination and lateral opaque laminations, and means keying saidlaminations together, certain of said laminations being formed of aplastic owed into engagementwith the other or others of saidlaminations.

4. A light-pervious type body comprising a central lamination oflight-pervious material and lateral laminations of opaque material, saidlaminations being secured together to form a unitary structure, saidlaminations being of the same character of material adapt-ing thevlaminations to be integrated into a homogeneous mass.

5. A light-pervious type body comprising a central lamination oflight-pervious material and lateral laminations having oppositelyextending e'ars of opaque material, said laminations being securedtogether to form a unitary structure, said laminations being of the samecharacter of material adapting the laminations to be integrated into ahomogeneous mass.

6. A light-pervious type body comprising a central lamination oflight-pervious material and lateral laminations of opaque material, saidlaminations being of material having the same coefficient of expansionand contraction and being secured together to form a unitary structure.

7. vA light-pervious type body comprising a central lamination oflight-pervious material and lateral laminations of opaque material, eachof said laminations being formed of a plastic and secured together toform a unitary structure, the material forming said lateral laminationshaving a dye interspersed therethrough to render said laterallaminations opaque.

8. A light-pervious type body comprising a central lamination oflight-pervious material and central lamination of light-perviousmaterial and lateral laminations of opaque material, the'surfaces ofsaid central lamination at the joints between said laminations beingsubstantially parallel and spaced apart proportionately to the size ofthe image to be presented by the type body.

10. A light-pervious type body comprising a central lamination oflight-pervious material and lateral laminations of opaque material, saidlateral laminations being provided as parts separate from each other andsecured to said central lamination at opposite sides thereof to form aunitary structure, said central laminations and said lateral laminationsbeing of the same width and depth.

11. A light-pervious type body suitable for use in either contact orprojection photo printing comprising a central lamination oflight-pervious material and lateral laminations of opaque material, saidlateral laminations being provided as parts separate from each other andsecured to said central lamination at opposite sides thereof to form aunitary structure, said central lamination and said lateral laminationsbeing of the same Width.

12. A light-pervious type body suitable for use in either contact orprojection photo printing comprising a central light pervious laminationand lateral opaque laminations provided as parts separate from eachother, said central and lateral laminations being secured together andeach formed of a plastic.

13. A light-pervious type body suitable for use in either contact orprojection photo printing comprising a light-pervious lamination andlateral opaque laminations provided as parts separate from each otherand means keying said laminations together. f

14. A light-pervious type body suitable for use in either contact orprojection photo printing comprising a central lamination oflight-pervious lateral laminations of opaque material, and means keyingsaid laminations together, opposing surfaces'of said laminations beingsecured together.

9. A light-pervious type body comprising a material and laterallaminations having oppositely extending ears of opaque material, saidlateral laminations being provided as parts separate from each other andsecured to said central lamination at opposite sides thereof to form aunitary structure, said central lamination and said lateral laminationsbeing of the same width. 4 15. A light-pervious type body suitable foruse in either contact or projection'photo printing comprising a centrallamination of light-pervious material and lateral laminations of opaquematerial, said lateral laminations being provided as parts separate fromeach other and secured to said central lamination atl opposite sidesthereof and said central lamination and said lateral laminations beingof the same width, the surfaces of said central lamination at the jointsbetween said laminations being substantially parallel. l

- GEORGE L. MORRISON.

